News and Notes: Around the Ivy League

Pictured above, Cornell Basketball's Town Hall Meeting on March 6, 2009.

"I was hired to teach them the game of basketball, and I did that to the best of my abilities. I apologize for nothing. You may not be pleased with the results but I am."-- Coach Norman Dale (portrayed by Gene Hackman) in the movie Hoosiers (1986).

With these words during a public town meeting, Coach Dale defends his performance as head basketball coach of the Hickory High School Huskers. (By the way, Dale was a newly hired coach at Hickory, Indiana following a dismissal from his prior coaching position with the Ithaca Warriors.)

Not unlike the Hoosiers film, the University of Pennsylvania is hosting a similar town meeting in Philadelphia to constructively discuss the state of its men's basketball program which finished 2008-2009 with 10 wins and 18 losses (6-8 Ivy League) and witnessed three players quitting the team.

At least one of the defecting players blamed Penn coach, Glen Miller as the reason for his leaving the program.

Front and center and under the town hall lights (or fire) is head coach, Glen Miller.

Penn Athletics issued the following email this week announcing the town hall meeting:

Penn Basketball Alumni, Family and Friends,

The Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate Athletics and the John R. Rockwell Head Coach of Men’s Basketball, Glen Miller, would like to invite you to join Coach Miller for an open discussion of Penn Basketball on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at the Inn at Penn. This special “town hall” forum is intended to bring together season ticket holders, former players, alumni and select student supporters as well as long-time friends of the program for an extended question and answer session about Penn Basketball with Coach Miller. This gathering of former players and loyal, steadfast fans will last for approximately 1 hour and will be immediately followed by the 2009 Men’s Basketball Team Banquet beginning at 11:30 a.m.

If you are interested in attending the 2009 Team Banquet as well as the preceding “town hall” session, please feel encouraged to do so. We would welcome having you join the coaching staff and the division to help us honor the careers of this year’s departing seniors. The 10:30 a.m. “Town Hall” meeting will be a free, no charge event, but to attend the 11:30 a.m. 2009 Team Banquet the cost will be $40 per person. If you would like to attend either or both events, please indicate such and provide your RSVP to Joe Neary, Athletics Coordinator, at nearyjp@upenn.edu or 215-573-0315 by no later than Wednesday, April 22, 2009.

Sincerely,

Mary DiStanislao, GRD’05
Senior Associate Director of Athletics